1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fasteners and, more particularly, to an expandable sealant to lock a fastener in place and seal any space between the fastener and an aperture through which the fastener is passed.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide a fastener to fasten at least two parts together. The fastener may be of a self-locking type. For example, the self-locking fasteners may be of a type in which the self-locking characteristic is derived from a coating such as a patch material adhered to all or a portion of a thread defining surface of the fasteners. These self-locking fasteners have proven to be very popular for a wide variety of applications in order to prevent loosening of the fastener due to vibration and the like in various applications.
In some applications, the fastener passes through an aperture in at least one of the parts. When the fastener passes through the aperture, there may be a space formed in the aperture between the fastener and the part. As a result, this space will normally allow fluids and gases to pass through the aperture through which the fastener is placed.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a coating for a fastener that locks the fastener in place and prevents fluids and gases from passing through the aperture through which the fastener is placed. It is also desirable to provide a coating for a fastener that expands to prevent fluids and gases from passing through an aperture and past the fastener. It is further desirable to provide a coating for a fastener that seals a space between the fastener and the part through which the fastener is placed. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a coating for a fastener that meets these desires.